In the process of a strong revival with the presence of Jimmy Butler, will the Golden State Warriors become a “tiger with wings” when Jonathan Kuminga prepares to return?
A sprained ankle can have dire consequences, and those who love the Golden State Warriors will know that all too well.
In February, Stephen Curry sprained his ankle during a game, limped, but still managed to tighten his laces, continued playing, and never missed a game after that. But there was also the case of Jonathan Kuminga, a young talent who was playing very well for the Golden State Warriors, sprained his ankle in early January.
He stepped on an opposing player’s foot and from a seemingly simple sprained ankle, Kuminga had to miss 31 consecutive Warriors matches, sitting out for more than 2 months.
However, the “Congolese God” is about to return and this comeback could not come at a better time, in the middle of the sprint to prepare for the Playoffs of the home team at Chase Center.
According to ESPN and The Athletic, Jonathan Kuminga is set to be given the green light to return to the court for the Golden State Warriors, as early as this weekend.
Initial information said that the player born in 2002 still needs to pass some medical tests, including swallowing the entire training plan in the next 1-2 training sessions.
The current plan is for the Warriors to play Kuminga in one of the two games this weekend, then if the Congolese feels comfortable, he will be gradually eased off the restrictions with his minutes gradually increasing over time.
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This season, Jonathan Kuminga is in extremely impressive form with more than 30 minutes per game. He is the first choice of coach Steve Kerr in the reserve group, scoring an average of 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Before getting injured, Kuminga was on a roll with 3 explosive matches including:
_ Scored 34 points with 9 rebounds, 3 assists against Phoenix Suns
_ Scored 34 points with 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block against LA Clippers.
_ Scored 26 points with 8 rebounds, 4 assists and shot 2-3 3PT against Indiana Pacers.
Over a 12-day span of 7 games, Kuminga’s average went from around 15 points per game to 24.3 points per game. Along with that, he grabbed 8 rebounds, shot 35% from the field, shot 52.7% from the field, and added 3.2 assists.
But the good times came to an end. Jonathan Kuminga was shining against the Memphis Grizzlies with 13 points 4-6 FG in 15 minutes of play when he sprained his ankle. At the end of the day, Kuminga was seen leaving the court by tram, his leg wrapped in a special boot.
In addition to the severe ankle sprain, the 2002-born striker also had to go through a slow and prolonged recovery process. He had to move around on crutches for many weeks and has only been back on the field practicing for the past 3 weeks.
The medical team’s initial plan was for Kuminga to return in early March. However, due to his leg still being swollen, the Warriors have postponed Jonathan’s return date by another 2 weeks.
Sharing about this, Coach Steve Kerr said that Golden State Warriors is not in a hurry with Kuminga. He wants his student to return in a comfortable, healthy state, to have an explosive first step with the speed and mobility like before the injury.
There is also reason for the Warriors to be perfectionist because they are in impressive form. The current rotation of the lineup combined with the presence of Jimmy Butler has helped Golden State win 12 of the last 14 games. increasingly solidifying the top-6 position in the West.
Besides the starting lineup including Curry, Green and Hield, the Warriors’ reserve players are playing well with Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Gui Santos and especially bigman Quinten Post.
The return of Jonathan Kuminga will give the Golden State Warriors a young, strong, physically fit, and well-rounded forward.
This is important because the more disruption there is in the area near the basket, which Kuminga does very well, the more the Warriors will be able to stretch the opposing team, creating more space for Stephen Curry or Jimmy Butler to work.
It will be a highly anticipated sprint for Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and teammates, especially when “Congolese warrior” Jonathan Kuminga is preparing to make a comeback, bringing another excellent name to the increasingly rich lineup of Golden State Warriors.
